Circuit breaker energy management systems are designed to control circuit breakers in a circuit breaker panelboard by commanding the circuit breakers to turn "on" and "off," so as to "close" and "open" the current path for efficient energy use. Typically, a microcomputer is programmed to generate such commands.
It is advantageous for such systems to be user-programmable and user-maintainable so that circuit breakers in the panelboard can be replaced and additional circuit breakers can be added to the system. In a newly installed system having all two-pole breakers, for example, the microcomputer would be programmed to control only two-pole circuit breakers at designated circuit breaker positions, or slots, in the panelboard. If the panelboard subsequently required, after initial installation, a three-pole circuit breaker, the program for the microcomputer would have to be replaced so that the microcomputer can communicate with, and properly control the newly added circuit breaker.
This type of adaptability is not only burdensome and expensive for the user, it is unacceptable in many applications in which accessibility is difficult or prohibited. Accordingly, a microcomputer-based circuit breaker energy management system is needed which overcomes these deficiencies of the prior art.